Emergency declutching mechanism for clothes wringers



y 1953 s. l. GABRIELSON 2,639,602

EMERGENCY DECLUTCHING MECHANISM FOR CLOTHES WRINGERS Filed Oct. 50, 1951Fig. I. i I

Inventor: Samuel I. Gabrielson,

by I

- H is Attorney.

Patented May 26, 1953 EMERGENCY DECLUTCI-IING MECHANISM FOR CLOTHESWRINGERS Samuel I. Gabrielson, Lynn, Mass., assignor to General ElectricCompany, a corporation of New York Application October 30, 1951, SerialNo. 253,825

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved clothes wringer and safety deviceof the instinctive type, and it has for a principal object the provisionof a simplified emergency mechanism by which the operator mayimmediately disconnect the wringer roll from its drive shaft by push ingor pulling on the drive frame.

Broadly speaking, emergency devices of this general type are well known.Generally, these devices embody a spring or other energy storing devicefor operating the wringer to neutral in an emergency in response toangular movement of the wringer frame relative to the wringer head. Thisinvention provides an improved mechanism for translating the angularmovement of the wringer frame relative to the wringer head into anappropriate release movement of detent to free a gear shifting devicewithin the head for return to neutral and also for moving the shiftingdevice into neutral; the improved mechanism comprises a direct operatingmechanical linkage connection between the wringer head and the detent onthe one hand, and the wringer head and shifting device on the other,thereby obviating the necessity of a spring or other energy storingdevice for returning the gear shifting means to neutral. In a presentlypreferred embodiment I hold the gear shift means in either of theoperating positions at which the direction of rotation of the drivenroller of the wringer is established by means of a simple detent, suchas a spring biased plunger which engages an indexing notch, to maintainthe selected drive position. The wringer frame is pivotally supported onthe wringer head and has a lever mechanically associated with a detentrelease device which upon rotation by the lever withdraws the detentfrom its notch. The detent release device is self-pivoted, that is, sideedges of its base portion afford fulcrums about which it may rotate and,hence, there is no conventional permanent pivot which may jam or corrodeby reason of high humidity, corrosive effect of detergents, and otherdisadvantageous conditions present during laundering. The lever also ismechanically associated directly with the gear shift means through thedetent release device so as to return the shift means to neutral afterthe detent has been released.

My invention is featured by a simplification of manufacturing andassembly operations without sacrificing their reliability, as will beapparent from the following detailed description of the presentlypreferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. lis a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of a wringerembodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an end elevation somewhat schematic,showing in solid lines the gear shift lever in neutral, and in dottedline the drive position thereof; and Fig. 3 is a similar view showingthe gear shift lever in drive position in full lines and indicating indotted lines the lift of the detent responsive to displacement of thewringer frame.

Referring to Fig. l, the clothes wringer includes a drive head 1,arranged in any suitable fashion for support on a column 2 which in turnis supported on a structural part of a washin machine (not shown). Thewringer frame 3 which may be of any conventional pattern, includes endstiles such as the stile 4 within which are housed upper and lowerbearing blocks 5, 6 journaling the shafts of the two wringer rolls 1,ii. A top frame member 9 confines a bow spring ill, the ends of whichrest upon the top roll bearing blocks to maintain the wringer rollpressure.

The wringer frame 3 is pivotally supported on the head to swing on avertical axis by means or a bracket H secured to the end of stile 4 andaffixed to the wringer head by a pair of pivot screws l2 aligned in acommon vertical axis. I prefer to use non-corrosive materials such asthe various die-casting alloys for the head and bracket to insure thatthe bracket will always be freely swingable on the head. The supportinbracket ii is of substantial width for cooperation with a pair of coilsprings 14 (only one of which is shown) which are socketed in pocketsiii at the sides of head I on opposite sides of the axis of the pivotscrews I2. These springs M maintain the normal operating relationbetween the frame and head and insure the drive engagement of the lowerroll drive shaft IS with its drive socket ii.

It will be understood that a power driven shaft 8 journaled in the headhas the usual twodrive pinions P, P slidable thereon and engagmg withthe crown gear or equivalent G for mechanically connecting it to thedrive socket ll. Because this construction may be of any suitable type,for example, that shown in the U. S. Patent to Samuel I. Gabrielson,2,561,195, granted July 17, 1951, it has not been detailed here. It issufficient to know that the pin l9 projecting from a rotating shaft 19engages the shift fork F having fingers F riding in slots in the saidpinions. Thus, when a driving connection is to be made with gear G,shaft/l9 rotated to shift fork F up or down to engages.

pinion with a drive pin D projecting from shaft S according to thedesired rotational direction of the lower wringer roll 8.

The shaft 18 is rotatably journaled in a collar 20 extendin from thewringer head; and it is operated by a shift handle 2! which is fixed tothe outer end of the shaft so that rotation .of the handle" rotates theshaft with it as a unit.

Shaft [53 has three detents 22 for cooperation with a detent pin 23slidably mounted for movement in a vertical direction the collar 29 andin the bracket 24 projecting from the wringer head, and suitably biasedby a spring 25 to be driven into one of the notches 22 as it comes intoregistry therewith. The 'said notches 22 establish the three operatingpositions of the shift handle 2 l, namely, the neutral position and thetwo rotating positions.

The operating handle and detent release means include a lever arm 25which may be integral with the bracket :i to extend over the top of thehead; this arm terminates in a fork 23 embracing the vertical bodyportion of the detent release actuator-2S shaped as an inverted T, asshown in Figs. 2 and 3. The base 29 of the actuator rests squa'rel'yupon the bracket 24 as shown in Figs. 1 and'2. Moreover, the baseportion "of the actuator is pivotally amxed to the detent 23 by means ofa pin 3d, which pin is constrained'to move vertically with the detent.The pin 3% also functions to connect the release lever 26 with the gearshift shaft l9 by means of a pair of links 3| and 3-2 which arepivotally interconnected at adjacent ends by means of a pin 33. Theopposite end of the link 3| has an elongated slot 34 which receives thepin 30, as shown; while the opposite end portion, in fact the majorportion, of the link 32 is received in a slot provided for it in theshaft l9 so that the lever 32 swings in a rigid unit with the shaft, thesleeve 28 being provided with an arcuate slot 35 to provide for theswinging movement of the link .32.

The operation of the invention will be apparent from Figs. 2 and 3. Itwill be understood that when the handle 21 is in its neutral position,the links 31 and 32 will :be in alignment, as shown in full lilies inFig. 2, and that in this neutral condition the base 2910f the actuator28 will rest squarely .unon the bracket 24, and also that the .pin 39will rest in the lower end of the elongated slot 34. When the handle 2|is moved to an operating position, for example, in a counterclockwisedirection to the operating position, as iewed in Fig. 2, the links 3|and 32 Will be broken from their aligned position and will as: sume heotted line position shown in Fi 2 wher in t ey are an ula ly related toeach other. 1 thi os on o the links, the pin 30 will be lo at d -i t e uper e d or the slot but it will be spaced somewhat from the end, asshown in Fig. 2. angular di placement of the lever 2 lQSPQHSe to apulling or pushing of the frame 3 will rotate the release actuator uponthebracket 24 the direction of rotation depending upon the direction ofrotation of the frame fi pl p Q 1 1 h ad. Let it be assumed that therame is rotated so as to move the lever 26 toward the right, as viewedin Fig. 3. When this happens, and when the actuator has been moved fromits position of Fig. 2 to its full line position of 3, the pin 30. willhave moved upwards 1y until it just engages the upper end of the slot3;, and in doing so will have moved the detent dly sllhiciently far torelease the shaft cub d. 1, 9 5; ur h r ro kin movement 4 of the releaseactuator to the dotted line position of Fig. 3, the pin will move theshaft l9 to its neutral position shown in Fig. 2 through the medium ofthe links 3| and 32.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that t e i a ire t -Q fifl SQH B UQ between the release actuator and the detent 23 and the shaft E9.The mechanism obviates the necessity of using any spring means ofreturning the clutch mechanism to neutral as has been used heretoforeinstinctive release mechanisms.

It should be borne in mind that emergency release devices of clotheswringers may never be operated, and yet they must always be in conditionfor'operation. Many of the contemporary devices are subject to thecriticism that notwithstanding their protection by exterior casings andthe like usually applied to wringers for appearance purposes, operatinparts may corrode so that their free movement is affected adversely withresultant sluggish operation or failure. My emergency device, because ofits simplicity and its direct mechanical drive between the frame and thedetent and the gear shift, has a high order of reliability.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will beunderstood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto sincemany modifications may be made, and I, there; fore, contemplate by theappended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the truespirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the UnitedStates is:

1. In a clothes wringer, the combination of a wringer head, frame meansswingably carried thereon, wringer rolls journaled in said frame means,drive mechanism within said head and including gear shift mechanism fordriving said rolls, means for operating said gear shift mechanism fromneutral to a driving position, including a rotary shift actuator andhandle means for fiecting a rotation of said actuator, a detent car.-ried by said wringer head for rectilinear move:- ment therein, saiddetent engaging with said rotary actuator for releasably securing saidgear shift mechanism in driving position, and means for withdrawing saiddetent for return of said actuator to neutral and for returning saidactu, ator to neutral, comprising a member having 9. body portionextending in a plane parallel to the path of movement of said 'detentand a base pom tion carried by said wringer head to pivot in eitherdirection thereon, pin means pivotally interconnecting said detent andsaid body portiQI a lever extending from said frame means and engagingsaid body portion to enforce :rotation of Said detent withdrawing meansupon swingin said frame means relative to said head th fi y w draw saiddetent to release said actuator, and linkage mechanism mechanicallyinterconnecting said pin means with said actuator to return saidactuatorto neutral after said pin means has withdrawn said detent.

2. In a clothes wringer, the combination of a wring er head, frame meansswingably carried thereon, wringer rolls .journaled in said frame means,drive mechanism within said head and including gear shift mechanism fordriving said rolls, means for operating said gear shift mechanism fromneutral to. a. driving position, including a rotary gear shift actuator,handle means for operating said actuator, a detent carried by saidwringer head for rectilinear movement therein, said detent engaging withsaid actuator for' releasably securing said gear shift mechanism indriving position, and mean for withdrawing said detent and for returningsaid actuator to neutral, comprising a member having a body portion, aportion extending angularly therefrom and carried by said wringer head,said base portion providing fulcrums at each side of said detent path, apin pivotally interconnecting said detent and said body portion, meansinterconnecting said frame means and said body portion in spacedrelationship with the base thereof to enforce rotation of said detentwithdrawing member about a base fulcrum and consequent withdrawal ofsaid detent to release said actuator upon rotation of said frame meansrelative to said head, and a pair of pivotally interconnected links, onelink fixed to rotate with said actuator and the other link having anelongated slot therein receiving said pin whereby said other link ispivoted to said pin, said pin and slot permitting the withdrawal of saiddetent by said pin whereupon said pin engages said other link at the endof said slot to operate said links to return said actuator to neutral.

3. In a wringer, the combination of frame means and wringer rollsjournaled for rotation therein, a wringer head, means for swingablymounting said frame mean on said head, drive mechanism within said headfor driving said rolls in one or another direction, said mechanismincluding a gear shift mechanism, a detent carried by said head formovement in a fixed path, means biasing said detent into engagement withsaid shift mechanism to secure the same in driving position, and meansfor disengaging said detent from said shift mechanism and moving saidshift mechanism to neutral, comprising an angular member having anelongated base supported on said head to provide a pair of fulcrum atits ends for rotation of said angular member on said head in either oftwo directions, a pin pivotally securing said angular member to saiddetent above the base of said member, a lever fixed to said frame andengaging said angular member to rotate it in one or the other of saidtwo directions depending upon the direction of movement of said lever bysaid frame, said pin precluding displacement of said angular memberrelative to said frame in the direction of movement of said lever inresponse to the swinging of said frame and thereby constraining saidangular member to rock about one or the other of its fulcrums to enforceaxial movement of said detent to release said shift mechanism, andlinkage means mechanically interconnecting said pin and shift mechanismpositively to move said shift mechanism to neutral in response to themovement of said pin by said angular member.

4. In a wringer having wringer rolls, a wringer frame supporting saidrolls for rotation, a wringer head, drive mechanism therein includinggear shift means for driving said rolls in one or another direction andmeans including a rotatable shaft to actuate said shift means, emergencyrelease means for operating said shaft to restore said shift means toneutral from a driving position, comprising means for swingably mountingsaid frame on said head, a detent pin slidably carried on said head andbiased for engagement with said shaft releasably to hold the same indriving position, a detent pin actuator pivotally associated with saidpin and including a relatively wide base member supported on saidwringer head, a lever extending from said wringer frame and engagingwith said detent pin actuator above the base thereof, said pinconstraining said actuator against bodily displacement in the directionof movement of said lever, whereby said lever movement will enforce arotation of said actuator about an edge of its base as a fulcrum withresulting translation of the therewith pivotally associated detent pinrelative to said shaft, a link fixed to said shaft, a second linkpivoted at one end to said first link and having an elongated slot atits other end receiving said pin, said links being aligned in theneutral position of said shaft and angularly displaced with respect toeach other in an operating position thereof and said slot providing foran initial free movement of said pin to withdraw said detent to releasesaid shaft, and the pin thereupon engaging said link to move the twolinks into alignment and thereby said shaft to neutral.

SAMUEL I. GABRIELSO'N.

Name Date Gabrielson July 17, 1951 Number

